More Workers Taking Second Jobs

More Americans are looking for a second job to see them through the holiday season, a new survey shows.

Of 1,400 workers recently polled by Express Employment Professionals, 42 percent said they needed a second job for extra cash, compared to just 29 percent in a similar survey last year, the Oklahoma City, Okla.-based staffing firm reported this week. By contrast, the number of respondents seeking a second job to advance their careers fell from 35 percent to 18 percent, the survey found.

"Times are really tight and people are looking for extra work," said Sean Simpson, the firm's corporate communications director. He blamed the on declining economic conditions, adding that many workers were struggling to make ends meet.

In addition to the high number of respondents looking for a second job, one in four said they were unemployed.

Last week, new claims for unemployment benefits rose to a 16-year high of 542,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday.